Man missing from burning home found unhurt

GODFREY — A Godfrey man with a mental disability was found safe and sound after an hours-long search, hiding in woods near his home as it was destoyed by fire Saturday morning.

Firefighters were first called at 8:59 a.m. to 4705 Brecht Ln. where heavy smoke and fire was coming from an upstairs window.

Responders quickly learned that a man, identified as Mark Stover was unaccounted for and could have been inside the burning home.

Rescuers immediately began a precise and thorough search of the large, two story home with the help of heat-detection imagery.

Godfrey Captain Tom Wills said that knowing the possible victim was known to exhibit child-like behavior at times, extra care was taken to make sure the home had been evacuated.

“Sometimes they’ll hide wherever they feel safe,” Wills said. “It could be behind a couch, or anywhere. You just never know where you might find someone.”

Wills said they normally search a home that could be occupied three or four times. He said there were between eight and 10 thorough searches performed in Saturday’s incident.

“It was a situation where we wanted to exhaust any possibility that he could be in the home,” Wills said.

As the blaze was doused under control, Godfrey Fire Chief Erik Kambarian began ordering firefighters from the scene to join in the search for Stover at the locations he frequented, as well as thick woods surrounding the culdesac.

Stover’s stepfather, Fred Valdez, said he and his wife Beverly were at the Alton Farmers Market when his phone rang.

“It was a neighbor, and they were saying, ‘Your house is on fire, you gotta get over here.’”

As the search was on for his stepson, Valdez had no clue what might have happened. He feared Stover could have been injured because he trusted and had good relationships with neighbors, as well as people at a nearby convenience store.

“I have no idea,” he said. “Anything could’ve happened. Knowing him, he might have tried to put the fire out, and couldn’t, and then, who knows.”

Valdez said Stover, in his 50s, was in good health and could easily withstand a long stay in the 90-plus degree temperatures.

Wills said that at least 25 volunteers joined the search, some bringing four-wheelers. One area man, Sam Stone, even deployed a camera-equipped drone high above the neighborhood.

Wills said that after a tracking dog came up empty, teams of two firefighters were sent between each house in the culdesac, moving through the thick brush.

Dozens of neighbors looked on while firefighters worked.

Next-door neighbor John Dunphy spoke highly of the missing man, saying he was well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood.

“He’s a kind, gentle soul who has a good heart,” he said.

Then, at 12:45 p.m., nearly five hours after the fire sparked, a firefighter spotted Stover in a forested area to the southwest of his home.

“He was a little shaken up, but no worse for the wear,” Wills said. “He was pretty happy to be found.”

Wills said Stover was frightened by the fire and “Just took off.”

After a full medical evaluation, he was released back to his parents.

The home sustained extensive damage. The fire originated in a second-floor bedroom. Valdez said he couldn’t speculate what might have caused the fire. He noted a celing fan was on in the bedroom where the fire originated.

Valdez said the home is fully insured.

Madison County deputies and a K9 unit, along with Alton, QEM, Brighton Fire Departments and air rescue crews responded to the scene.